The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) did not operate any service in the district. A Punalur-bound fast-passenger bus coming from Guruvayur was blocked by hartal supporters, mostly employees of the corporation, when it reached the bus station here around 10 am.

The police rushed to the spot, removed the protesters and escorted the bus up to Kalanjoor. Five KSRTC employees were arrested in this connection.

Assaulted

P.S. Subhash, postmaster, and Easow, senior clerk, at the Head Post Office here were assaulted.

B. Mohanan, Postal Superintendent, told The Hindu that the post office was closed as no public transactions took place owing to the hartal. However, hartal supporters gate-crashed into the office and unleashed terror, threatening nearly 15 women employees.

“This is not the first time that the Head Post Office in Pathanamthitta is becoming a soft target of hartal supporters, and we have already filed a complaint before the police here, seeking stern action against all the culprits,” he said.

Rail blockade

The hartal supporters blocked the Thiruvanthapuram-Mangalore Parasuram Express at the Thiruvalla railway station for about 15 minutes from 10 a.m.